Chris Mann Talks About Recording Christmas Music In July

The sun was shining; the grass was a green and the orange and palm trees swayed as Chris Mann worked on his Christmas EP in L.A.

It was the middle of July and Mann was in the studio recording Home For Christmas, which features six traditional holiday songs like “White Christmas” and “The First Noel.” Though it was 90 degrees outside, the singer told CBS Local that it was easy to get into the holiday spirit without putting up a tree or buying all white furniture.

“I love Christmas music and grew up singing it,” he said. “I was just singing the songs. Having a good time.”

Shooting the album’s cover though was a bit trickier for Mann, who was asked to pretend he was sitting in Central Park on a snowy day instead of sweating in California.

“I’m covered in snow and it’s just jolly and wintery, except it’s in an alley in L.A. and not at all winter,” he said. “I had snow machines blowing like soap suds in my face.”

(Courtesy of Universal)

The hardest part though was trying not sneeze or laugh or break into Derek Zoolander’s signature pose, Blue Steel.

“I did it pretty frequently,” Mann joked.

The Voice alum, who came in fourth during season two, also had a bit of trouble narrowing down which songs should be included on the EP.

“There are so many amazing songs and I only got to do six,” he said. “I fully intend to round it out next year and do the other half.”

He did manage to find a spot on the album for his favorite Christmas song “O Holy Night” though, which reunited the former Glee alum—he was a member of The Warblers—with the show’s vocal arranger, Tim Davis.

“We ended up doing a choral a cappella version of that song,” he explained. “It’s a little bit darker; a unique standout track.”